An awful lot of running
by welcometonerdworld
Summary: Genderswap Jily: In which Liam Evans doesn't like running at all, but finds himself doing an awful lot of it all because of Jamie Potter. Cover art by viria.


Liam Evans doesn't like running much. If you asked him what his ideal day would be like, it would probably involve sleeping and eating – very normal things for your average teenage boy – but definitely no running.

He especially dislikes running to get to places on time, and then having to wait ages for the other person to arrive.

Scowling, Liam checked his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time. Nine twenty nine, the battered face read. Twenty nine minutes late. Where in the name of Merlin was Jamie Potter?

Liam sighed and blew a piece of his dark red fringe out of his eyes. He should have known, he thinks, that there was no way that Jamie Potter would actually be a good Head Girl. Sure, she had grown up in some ways, taking on the responsibility of Quidditch Captain last year, not playing so many tricks, skipping class less. In the looks department, Potter had _definitely_ grown up a lot, something that did not go unnoticed by the male population of the school, especially Liam.

Anyway, they were friends now (ish), because Jamie Potter had stopped asking him out. To be fair, she'd only done it about five times total, but it now seemed to Liam that Potter was over him. Pushing this uncomfortable thought away, Liam rolled his eyes.

It was a joke, he thinks, to assume that Potter would ever be on time.

Fed up, Liam moved to begin rounds without her, when he heard running footsteps coming up behind him. Turning on his heel, irritated words died down in Liam's mouth as he saw that it was Rema Lupin, not Jamie Potter, who was hurriedly approaching.

"You alright, Rema?" Liam asked, worried for one of his closest friends, and the only mutual one he had with Potter.

Rema shook her head rapidly from side to side and took a few deep breaths, enough to get out, "Jamie. Hospital Wing. Slytherins."

It took about one and a half seconds for Liam to compute these words, followed by an extreme sense of nausea and panic. He swore loudly and started running, Rema having already taken off again.

For a person who doesn't like running, Liam Evans sure does a lot of it.

* * *

In the Hospital Wing, there is uproar, all on the part of Stella Black.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me. Snivella's gone and put _my best mate_ in a coma, and _I _can't see her?" Stella paced up and down the outside part of the Hospital Wing whilst the nurse shook her head.

"I'm very sorry, Miss Black. Miss Potter is not in a coma, she's just unconscious, but we've found traces of Dark Magic and we can't have lots of students around –"

"What's going on?" a worried and slightly panting Liam appeared at that moment, practically dragging an exhausted Rema.

"Oh, this is just _brilliant_." Stella's sarcastic tone rang out across the corridor as Liam approached. "Jamie's in a frigging coma, and lo-and-behold, Liam Evans shows up to save the day! What you gonna do now, eh, Evans? Sweep her off her feet? Tell her how much you love her, huh?"

Liam narrowed his eyes at the black-haired beauty, "No, Black, I plan on checking on my _friend_."

"_Friend?_ Since when are you two friends?" Stella's voice rose, and the nurse begged her to keep it down, but, "For fuck's sake, Evans, she loves you!"

There was a pause of tense silence. Liam blinked in shock – once, twice – and then turned on his heel, speeding down the corridor.

* * *

Liam Evans is eating his breakfast at a painfully slow rate the next morning when he feels a tap on his shoulder. His head turns to see Stella, who looks extremely uncomfortable and somewhat...remorseful?

"Yes?" Liam says politely.

"A word, please, Evans? Outside?"

Liam nods to his best mate, Mark McKinnon, who rolls his eyes and salutes him jokingly. Stella leads the way out of the Great Hall and stops just by the stairs.

"I wanted to –"

"You don't have to apologise." Liam says heavily.

Stella narrows her eyes, "How did you know I was going to?"

Liam shrugs, "I saw Rema trying to convince you earlier. Anyway, I should be the one apologising. I've been really stupid, because..."

"What?"

"This whole time, I've..."

"What?"

"Erm, well. I've..."

"For fuck's sake, Evans, I don't have all day. What?"

"IkindoffancyPottertoo."

"_What?_"

Liam Evans is already running. (It seems like he does an awful lot of that, now.)

* * *

"Jamie Potter," Liam breathes heavily, "I need to see her. Now."

The nurse outside the Hospital Wing looks weary, "Weren't you the one arguing with Miss Black yesterday? I won't have any of you in here, or around here. Miss Potter needs her rest, and you're certainly not going to –"

"Help? Very sorry, ma'am, but I'm here on Professor Dumbledore's express orders. I'm Head Boy, see," Liam taps his badge self- importantly, "And he wanted me to check up on Miss Potter's progress."

"Oh. Right then. Fine, as long as you don't bring in Black or Pettigrew. Black's too loud, and Pettigrew cries too much. That Lupin's alright, but we're on a strict one visitor at a time here for Miss Potter –"

"Erm, ma'am? If you don't mind, could I...?" Liam motions to the entrance of the Hospital Wing. The nurse flushes pink.

"Of course. Right this way."

Liam follows her inside, gulping and wondering all the while just _what in the name of bloody Merlin was he going to say?_

The nurse points silently to a bed surrounded by pale blue curtains, and then leaves. Liam nervously pulls one aside, and is immensely relieved to see that Jamie is sleeping – he doesn't have to say anything yet.

Liam takes a seat next to her bed and looks at her. She looks very peaceful, he thinks, and not at all mischievous or flirty in her sleep. He bravely takes her hand in his. It is cold, and he can't help but feel that he wants to hold it tighter, to warm it up, to do anything to make her feel better...

"Glad to see you're not copping a feel, Evans."

Liam jumps violently; dropping Jamie's hand onto the bed like it has suddenly become red hot. "Potter! I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," says Jamie, smirking, "Until I heard your pretty little lie at the door. Nice one, by the way. Didn't think you had it in you."

Liam blushes, the awful shade of red that clashes badly with his hair, and mumbles, "Well, I had to think of something."

Jamie makes a thinking face, one that Liam privately thinks is inexcusably cute and he kind of (okay, really) wants to kiss it off her face.

"Huh," says Jamie, "Liam Christopher Evans, I hereby name you Apprentice Marauder, for your epic efforts in lying to see the one and only Jamie Charlotte Potter."

"Apprentice Marauder? I didn't even know that was a thing."

"It is now." Jamie winks, and Liam snorts, going redder still when she continues, "Aren't you going to record my progress for Professor Dumbledore, Evans?" She bats her eyelashes innocently at him behind her glasses, and Liam coughs awkwardly as she laughs.

"Seriously though, Potter," Liam speaks to try and change the subject, "Are you alright?"

Jamie shrugs, "Dunno, really. They've said it's some sort of Dark Magic – I said I wasn't surprised. It was all those Death Eater wannabes. So it kind of hurts, but it's getting better."

"Where does it hurt?" Liam blurts out, without thinking. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He has walked into one of her traps. Jamie Potter has Liam Evans wrapped around her finger, and she knows it all too well.

Jamie grins. "Well," she makes an exaggerated girlish sigh, "Kind of around...here." She points to her forehead.

"And...here." She points to the tip of her nose.

"Aaaand," Pointing to her cheek, "Here."

"Also, it mostly hurts right about..." Jamie takes Liam's finger and guides it to her lips, "Here."

Liam stares at his finger on her lips and gulps nervously, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Well?" says Jamie, next with the obvious, "Aren't you going to kiss it better, Evans?"

And it's this _stupid, cliché _line, that sends Liam completely crazy, because all of a sudden he's zoomed forward, snapping her lips to his in a feverish kiss that sends his mind doing all kinds of running because he's just realised – he's been running all for Jamie Potter, for this stupidly attractive smirking girl with big glasses and doe-like eyes and hot red lips that he's been waiting to kiss for Merlin knows how long –

"Mr Evans!" A furious voice finds the couple, and Jamie swears against Liam's lips. The nurse continues, incensed, "This does not look like a progress report to me! Get out, out now!"

Liam goes beet red and apologises profusely, but starts running at full speed ahead from the Hospital Wing at the look on the nurse's face.

It doesn't matter, though, not really. He can still hear Jamie Potter's laugh all down the corridor, as she yells, "Run, Evans!" after him. Liam Evans doesn't normally like running – he's always been a bookish, tea and biscuits kind of guy – but for Jamie Potter, he'll always make an exception.


End file.
